Jamaican media executive pleads guilty to misleading US Congress

WASHINGTON, USA -- A leading Caribbean newspaper publisher and philanthropist,who for years arranged for members of the US Congress to attend businessconferences in the Caribbean, has pleaded guilty to misleading congressionalstaff about who paid for the travel expenses.The US Justice Department said Karl B Rodney, who is also the chief executiveofficer of the weekly New York Carib News newspaper and its foundation, pleadedguilty to the charge in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.Rodney, 73, is the only person to have been charged in the scandal, whichprompted an ethics inquiry of several lawmakers, said Assistant US AttorneyGeneral, Lanny A Breuer.The Justice Department said that Judge Emmet G Sullivan will now sentence him onJuly 22.Rodney faces a maximum of five years in prison and a US$250,000 fine on thefalse statement charge.Breuer said Rodney, through the Carib News foundation and Carib News, organisedan annual conference for more than a decade in the Caribbean, called the AnnualCaribbean Multi-National Business Conference. Many of the conferences have beenattended by members of Congress, he said.In 2007, the House of Representatives modified its travel rules to require,among other things, that all privately-funded travel by members of Congress bepre-approved by the House of Representatives Committee on Standards of OfficialConduct (Ethics Committee.)The pre-approval process required the private sponsor to submit a PrivateSponsor Travel Certification Form disclosing, among other things, the source offunding for the member's trip, including transportation, lodging and meals.

"In pleading guilty, Rodney admitted that he made false statements on thePrivate Sponsor Travel Certification Form submitted to the Ethics Committee inconnection with the 12th Annual Caribbean Multi-National Business Conferenceheld in Antigua and Barbuda from November 8-11, 2007," the Justice Departmentsaid.It said Rodney acknowledged several times in court on Thursday that he wasguilty of the crime of false statements.At the end of the 45-minute hearing, he blamed a "lapse of judgment" and said,"I regret that deeply," the Justice Department said.According to court documents, in connection with the 2007 conference, "Rodneyprovided round-trip airfare, hotels and meals for the members attending theconference, using money and in-kind support provided by the foreign host countryand a private corporation."Instead of listing the foreign host country and private corporation on thecertification form that he submitted, Rodney falsely stated that Carib NewsFoundation was the only entity that paid for the members' travel and that thefoundation had not accepted funds from any other source earmarked for thatpurpose," it said.According to the House Ethics Committee's initial inquiry, money from severalmajor corporations, including American Airlines, AT&T and Verizon, paid for atleast six lawmakers to go on the Caribbean trips in 2007 and 2008, "but Rodneyfailed to disclose their involvement,"As a result of Rodney's actions, "the public was denied the right to know thetrue source of financial support for travel by Members to the Conferences,"prosecutors wrote in a court filing.In a letter, dated March 2009 and addressed to the Office of CongressionalEthics, lawyers for Rodney described him as a "pillar of the Caribbean Americancommunity."It is clear that it has always been our clients'; intention to complete all ofthe necessary paperwork, including the House's Private Sponsor CertificationForm, accurately and honestly," wrote the lawyers, Joel Cohen and DanielleWalsman.Court documents do not show that Faye Rodney or Louis has been charged.Five members of the Congressional Black Caucus were cleared by the EthicsCommittee because the committee said they "did not knowingly violate the House'sCode of Official Conduct."But the committee admonished a sixth lawmaker, veteran Harlem DemocraticCongressman Charles Rangel, because it said "Rangel's staff knew corporationshad contributed money for the conferences."The committee said it did not have sufficient evidence that Rangel was aware ofwhat his staff knew.

Bipolar Disorder affects about 6 million Americans, and its primarycharacteristic is depression. Hollyscoop talked to famed psychiatrist Dr.Charles Sophy, and he shed some light on how Jones will receive treatment.

"[Bipolar Disorder] is treated with a combination of a good diagnosis andmedication and therapy," Dr. Sophy told Hollyscoop.

He added that the goal of treatment is "getting it into remission, whichtranslates to mood stability."

Now that her husband has officially beaten cancer, we're hoping achieving thatstability will be easier for Catherine.

Dr. Sophy also explained that Bipolar Disorder is genetic, and that althoughshe's been under a great deal of stress, stress isn't what caused it.

"Stress brings it out, but it doesn't cause it," Dr. Sophy told us. "Bipolar issomething you are born with."

Catherine was reportedly receiving treatment at Connecticut's Silver CityHospital, but has since checked out. Her rep says this week she'll be working onher two upcoming films. Here's hoping Catherine gets all the help she needs sowe can see her shine on the silver screen!

Alleged murderer released before extraditionThe Ministry of Justice denied that an alleged fugitive was allowed to go freebecause of a dispute between the Ministry and the Office of the Director ofPublic Prosecutions.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of Tony VincentAshman, 27, who had been in custody for more than 60 days since he waived hisright to an extradition hearing.

He was not held longer than the time prescribed by the law because the Ministrydid not sign the documents for him to be extradited.

But the justice ministry contends that it did not sign the authority to proceedbecause did not receive the documents from the British Government.

The justice ministry said, the British authorities requested the Jamaicanauthorities to issue a provisional warrant for Ashman's arrest pending thesubmission of authenticated documents for his extradition.

The Ministry noted that Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne is prepared to signthe authority to proceed as soon as she receives the authenticated documents,provided that they satisfy the requirements of the Extradition Act.

It is alleged that Ashman fatally shot a man at a nightclub in Brixton in 2009and later fled to Jamaica.

Ashman was captured in August Town, St. Andrew, in November last year, bymembers of the Flying Squad during their manhunt for reputed leader of the DogPaw Gang, Christopher Linton.

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WASHINGTON, USA -- A leading Caribbean newspaper publisher and philanthropist,who for years arranged for members of the US Congress to attend businessconferences in the Caribbean, has pleaded guilty to misleading congressionalstaff about who paid for the travel expenses.The US Justice Department said Karl B Rodney, who is also the chief executiveofficer of the weekly New York Carib News newspaper and its foundation, pleadedguilty to the charge in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.Rodney, 73, is the only person to have been charged in the scandal, whichprompted an ethics inquiry of several lawmakers, said Assistant US AttorneyGeneral, Lanny A Breuer.The Justice Department said that Judge Emmet G Sullivan will now sentence him onJuly 22.Rodney faces a maximum of five years in prison and a US\$250,000 fine on thefalse statement charge.Breuer said Rodney, through the Carib News foundation and Carib News, organisedan annual conference for more than a decade in the Caribbean, called the AnnualCaribbean Multi-National Business Conference. Many of the conferences have beenattended by members of Congress, he said.In 2007, the House of Representatives modified its travel rules to require,among other things, that all privately-funded travel by members of Congress bepre-approved by the House of Representatives Committee on Standards of OfficialConduct (Ethics Committee.)The pre-approval process required the private sponsor to submit a PrivateSponsor Travel Certification Form disclosing, among other things, the source offunding for the member's trip, including transportation, lodging and meals.

\"In pleading guilty, Rodney admitted that he made false statements on thePrivate Sponsor Travel Certification Form submitted to the Ethics Committee inconnection with the 12th Annual Caribbean Multi-National Business Conferenceheld in Antigua and Barbuda from November 8-11, 2007,\" the Justice Departmentsaid.It said Rodney acknowledged several times in court on Thursday that he wasguilty of the crime of false statements.At the end of the 45-minute hearing, he blamed a \"lapse of judgment\" and said,\"I regret that deeply,\" the Justice Department said.According to court documents, in connection with the 2007 conference, \"Rodneyprovided round-trip airfare, hotels and meals for the members attending theconference, using money and in-kind support provided by the foreign host countryand a private corporation.\"Instead of listing the foreign host country and private corporation on thecertification form that he submitted, Rodney falsely stated that Carib NewsFoundation was the only entity that paid for the members' travel and that thefoundation had not accepted funds from any other source earmarked for thatpurpose,\" it said.According to the House Ethics Committee's initial inquiry, money from severalmajor corporations, including American Airlines, AT&T and Verizon, paid for atleast six lawmakers to go on the Caribbean trips in 2007 and 2008, \"but Rodneyfailed to disclose their involvement,\"As a result of Rodney's actions, \"the public was denied the right to know thetrue source of financial support for travel by Members to the Conferences,\"prosecutors wrote in a court filing.In a letter, dated March 2009 and addressed to the Office of CongressionalEthics, lawyers for Rodney described him as a \"pillar of the Caribbean Americancommunity.\"It is clear that it has always been our clients'; intention to complete all ofthe necessary paperwork, including the House's Private Sponsor CertificationForm, accurately and honestly,\" wrote the lawyers, Joel Cohen and DanielleWalsman.Court documents do not show that Faye Rodney or Louis has been charged.Five members of the Congressional Black Caucus were cleared by the EthicsCommittee because the committee said they \"did not knowingly violate the House'sCode of Official Conduct.\"But the committee admonished a sixth lawmaker, veteran Harlem DemocraticCongressman Charles Rangel, because it said \"Rangel's staff knew corporationshad contributed money for the conferences.\"The committee said it did not have sufficient evidence that Rangel was aware ofwhat his staff knew.

Bipolar Disorder affects about 6 million Americans, and its primarycharacteristic is depression. Hollyscoop talked to famed psychiatrist Dr.Charles Sophy, and he shed some light on how Jones will receive treatment.

\"[Bipolar Disorder] is treated with a combination of a good diagnosis andmedication and therapy,\" Dr. Sophy told Hollyscoop.

He added that the goal of treatment is \"getting it into remission, whichtranslates to mood stability.\"

Now that her husband has officially beaten cancer, we're hoping achieving thatstability will be easier for Catherine.

Dr. Sophy also explained that Bipolar Disorder is genetic, and that althoughshe's been under a great deal of stress, stress isn't what caused it.

\"Stress brings it out, but it doesn't cause it,\" Dr. Sophy told us. \"Bipolar issomething you are born with.\"

Catherine was reportedly receiving treatment at Connecticut's Silver CityHospital, but has since checked out. Her rep says this week she'll be working onher two upcoming films. Here's hoping Catherine gets all the help she needs sowe can see her shine on the silver screen!

Alleged murderer released before extraditionThe Ministry of Justice denied that an alleged fugitive was allowed to go freebecause of a dispute between the Ministry and the Office of the Director ofPublic Prosecutions.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of Tony VincentAshman, 27, who had been in custody for more than 60 days since he waived hisright to an extradition hearing.

He was not held longer than the time prescribed by the law because the Ministrydid not sign the documents for him to be extradited.

But the justice ministry contends that it did not sign the authority to proceedbecause did not receive the documents from the British Government.

The justice ministry said, the British authorities requested the Jamaicanauthorities to issue a provisional warrant for Ashman's arrest pending thesubmission of authenticated documents for his extradition.

The Ministry noted that Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne is prepared to signthe authority to proceed as soon as she receives the authenticated documents,provided that they satisfy the requirements of the Extradition Act.

It is alleged that Ashman fatally shot a man at a nightclub in Brixton in 2009and later fled to Jamaica.

Ashman was captured in August Town, St. Andrew, in November last year, bymembers of the Flying Squad during their manhunt for reputed leader of the DogPaw Gang, Christopher Linton.\n\n